


Boundless as the Sea

by treewishes



Category: The Goblin Emperor - Katherine Addison
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-12-19
Updated: 2015-12-19
Packaged: 2018-05-07 18:12:16
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,296
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5466053
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/treewishes/pseuds/treewishes
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Maia learns that Cala and Beshelar are with him in all things.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Boundless as the Sea

**Author's Note:**

  * For [100demons](https://archiveofourown.org/users/100demons/gifts).



"Will you meditate tonight, Serenity?"

Maia's head came up and Nemer stopped pulling the jewels from his hair. "Yes. We know it is late but we feel we must." 

"Of course," Beshelar nodded. "The chamber is prepared."

Nemer finished his task and dressed Maia in his simplest robe. Padding through the silent corridors, Maia gave thanks for the support and understanding he could feel from both Cala and Beshelar as they accompanied him. He tried to show them how much he appreciated their steadfastness every day, though neither of them would ever acknowledge such a thing were it stated out loud. 

Maia could feel his emotions settle as soon as they reached the Chapel of All Gods. The room was becoming a sanctuary for him, as he imagined it had been for his mother. He lit the candles one by one, waiting as each one flared fully before moving on to the next. He cupped his hands to feel their warmth, a good thing as the night still carried a bit of winter. Just yesterday, it seemed, he had been wearing furs and mittens everywhere. Today, he had worn only a light jacket to walk in the garden.

He placed a cushion over the gold mosaic triskelion in the center of the chamber and began his ritual. The emotion he needed to conquer tonight was fear. He let his mind stray to some of the things he had feared over the past year, and then laid over them the words, _thou hast survived all of it_. 

He no longer feared and dreaded every encounter, as he had when he arrived at the Untheileneise Court. He knew that attitudes toward him had changed since he had survived the betrayal of Princess Sheveän. No, he corrected himself; he did not _know_ attitudes had changed. But when he considered the past days and weeks, he had noticed fewer surprised looks, and came to fewer realizations that he had made a mistake. It was not never—it would never be _never_ —but it was better than it was.

He called up these recent feelings of confidence and kindled them to begin his session.

=============

He doused the candles and made his way back to the Alcethmeret. Meditation had helped, but had not eased all of his trepidation by any means. As Nemer helped him into his nightshirt, he tried to imagine this same time tomorrow night. Would Csethiro be as nervous as he felt right now?

Maia crawled into bed and stared up into the great canopy. Would Csethiro want to sleep with him here? Or would she withdraw to her own chambers? He had no idea how this was supposed to work, as usual. But he hoped she would stay with him now and again.

=============

He woke with a start, hearing a cry and realizing it had been his own. Before he could blink, the curtains were drawn and Cala was there. 

"Serenity?"

His dreams, full of chaos and darkness, faded as he blinked awake. He took a deep breath and spoke to the canopy. "We are afraid." 

"We are here for you, Serenity," Cala whispered, "What troubles you?"

Maia could see how much Cala wanted to help, and while he was desperate for it, he could not speak his need out loud. He grasped Cala's hand like a lifeline and pulled him down next to him. Cala sat, his concern and support clear through his confusion.

Maia realized he had never shown Cala this kind of weakness, even on the first day they had met. He swallowed, forcing the words to come. "Tomorrow... we are ready for all of it. Except for this." He glanced up at Cala. "We have never. And Csethiro will know."

Cala shifted, tilting his head. Maia knew his nohecharis took the task to guard him with his spirit quite seriously. He had been loathe to mention his fears for that very reason. 

Cala's ears twitched. "We do not know the lady well, but we believe she will understand."

"Understanding is one thing, yes. We would prefer, however, that she not remember the night as a disaster." He sighed. "Not that anything can be done for it now.

Cala hesitated, then let go of Maia's hand. "If you will permit me." He placed both hands on Maia's face and leaned down slowly, waiting for a sign.

Maia felt only the briefest surprise as Cala kissed him on the cheek. Their eyes met and whatever Cala saw spurred him to action. He took off his spectacles and slipped them into his pocket, then stood and dropped his robe and shoes to the floor before he lifted the blankets and joined him.

Maia turned to face him, marveling at the sudden feeling of _not being alone_. Cala grinned in the dim light and Maia reached out to touch him, smoothing his hand from Cala's ear, to his shoulder, and down the front of his tunic. 

And then it was a blur of sensation as he felt Cala's hands doing the same. His breath caught as he felt Cala's cold hands through the linen of his nightshirt, and Maia immediately grew frustrated at the layers between them. He tugged at Cala's shirt and then forgot his task entirely as Cala's kiss took his breath away. Maia melted into it, feeling the heat between them build as they pressed together. Cala's arms reached around them both and pulled them closer. 

Maia finally managed to get Cala's shirt dragged up and his trousers untied, and then he could not breathe at all as his hand found flesh and he grasped Cala's cock. It felt alive in his hand, hot and smooth and rough, all at the same time. He ran his thumb across the head and Cala cried out, "Serenity!" 

Maia heard the door open and went very still, as did Cala. There was no hiding, however, when Beshelar drew back the curtains, ready to fight whatever had attacked him. Cala turned away and moved to sit up, but Maia's hand on his shoulder stopped him.

Beshelar quickly took in the disarray and his face softened as he met Maia's eyes. Maia reached for him as he had for Cala, wanting to draw him down, to bring him into their circle. But he would not come. He stopped Maia's hand, leaning down to whisper, "We are here. We cannot lose ourself as Cala has done." He kissed Maia's brow. "But we are with you both." With that, Beshelar dipped his ears and closed the curtains. 

Maia was torn between trying to be more quiet, knowing Beshelar was listening, and trying to make other noises, knowing Beshelar was listening. How had he thought he would feel self-conscious? Cala and Beshelar were inextricably in his life and would be until death. They were his, he was theirs.

Then Maia forgot about Beshelar altogether as Cala's mouth and hands found him again. 

=============

Maia woke slowly, with a dawning realization that his bed was warm and he felt at peace. Before his mind turned, as it usually did, to his first appointment of the day, long arms reached around him and pulled him into a warm embrace. 

"You have a busy day ahead," Cala murmured, breathing over Maia's ear and causing a flutter in his belly. 

"Yes," Maia sighed, and he briefly pictured all that was planned. Four different outfits, three ceremonies, so many visitors. 

And Csethiro, her sharp eyes and sly smile. In the clear morning light of his wedding day, he found he looked forward to welcoming her to his bed. There would be much to learn, still. But lying in Cala's arms, it was not the terror it had been yesterday.

"You will be here tonight?" he asked Cala.

"Always, Serenity."


End file.
